Multiple screwdriver



Dec. 19, 1961 H. K. NEHLS MULTIPLE SCREWDRIVER Filed March 22, 1960 A I n l l I I I l l l l I l l I I l I l INV EN TOR. HAROLD A. Nil/LS ATTORNEY:

ilnited tates Patent 3349135594 MULTfiLE SiIREWDRlVER Harold K. Nehls, 15 Anna Drive, Bowmansville, NY. Filed Mar. 22, 196%, Ser. No. 16,828 6 Claims. (Cl. JAE-50) My invention relates in general to improvements in hand tools and in particular to a multiple screwdriver.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a screwdriver having a permanently attached double ended driver-bit.

Another object is to provide a screwdriver having a bit which may be easily shifted from. one size or kind of driver to another without having to detach any of the parts of my device.

Another object is to provide a screwdriver having a slidably mounted bit yoke which is nested in the handle of the device when either of the bits is in its working position, thereby applying the driving torque directly to the handle.

Moreover, my device is provided with detent means for preventing the bit from accidentally falling out of the handle when the tool is being used.

Furthermore, my device is provided with a stop for limiting outward movement of the bit when drivers are being changed.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by my device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is an external elevation of my device;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary View showing the bit yoke extended and the bit disposed in an intermediate driverchanging position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary end view with the yoke extended from the handle and showing the yoke legs in twisted position; and,

FIG. 5 is a sectional plan view of the handle taken on line VV of FIG. 2.

My device comprises a handle made of any suitable material and provided with an axial bore 11 extending substantially the length thereof and formed with a counterbore T2 for the reception of a closure plug 13. The inner end of the handle is provided with a solid portion 14 which is formed with a longitudinal bit-receiving opening 15 for the reception of the bit 16 of my device. The bit 36 preferably has two drivers 17 and 18 of different sizes. Oppositely arranged leg-receiving openings 19 are formed in the solid portion of the handle and they are spaced from the opening 15 and have their axes parallel to the axis of the last mentioned opening. A yoke 26 is carried by the handle and is provided with parallel legs 21 and 22 which are slidably mounted within the openings 19. The legs are preferably secured together at their outer ends by means of a yoke cross member 24. The bit is formed preferably intermediate its length with a bearing 28 for the pivotal support of said cross member. The solid portion 14 at the outer end of the handle is provided with a lateral groove 27 extending diametrically across between and joining the leg-receiving openings 19 for reception of the cross member when the device is in assembled position and to provide torque-resisting engagement of said bit with said handle. When the cross member is in engagement with the groove 27, abutments 25 will be provided by the solid portion of the handle to thus prevent further axial movement of said yoke and bit.

The legs 21 and 22 are extended through the engaged openings 19 into the bore 11 of the handle when the bit is in its position of use. The legs 21 and 22 are substantially straight throughout its lengths, and the leg 22 aaiasai Fatented Dec. 19,1961

is provided at its inner end with a bent portion 26 which extends toward the leg portion 21 and which acts as 'a stop for limiting the outward movement of the yoke. The bent portion 26 bears against the adjacent inner abutment 30 formed by the solid portion 14 of the handle when the yoke is in its outer or bit-changing position, as clearly shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2. Obviously, as clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cross member 24 of the yoke is so proportioned that the ends of the drivers will swing clear of the handle when driver are being changed.

In order to maintain the bit of the screwdriver in its working position, I preferably provide a slight relative twist between the legs 21 and 22 of the yoke which is present when the yoke is extended out from the handle to a bit-changing position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Ohviously, when the unused bit is placed in the recess 15 and the yoke is pushed into the handle, the legs thereof will be made to gradually assume parallel positions asthe twist is taken out of them. This produces an opposite lateral pressure on the leg-receiving openings 19, thereby firmly holding the yoke and attached bit against undesirable movement. To add to the detent action of the yoke, I provide opposite detents 31 in the legs adjacent the openings 19 to produce a slight tooth action.

it will be obvious that when the position of the drivers is to be changed, it is only necessary to pull the extended bit outwardly away from the solid end portion of the handle until the stop 26 of the leg 22 engages the abutment 30 whereupon the bit may be rotated about the cross member of the yoke until the newly positioned driver is in registration with the bit-receiving opening 1%. The bit and yoke may then be pushed inwardly within the handle until the cross member engages the groove 27 and the bit reaches the end of its stroke. It is clear that the bit and legs of the yoke will be in close fitting relation with their engaged openings and that the parts will be held in engaged position by reason of the tension placed upon the legs by the twist formed therein.

Obviously, while I have shown both the drivers of regular form for slotted screws, my invention is applicable to drivers having four prongs for engagement with fourslotted screws, and other types of screws or wrenches.

What is claimed is:

l. A screwdriver having a hollow handle, said handle being formed with a substantially solid end portion formed with a bit-receiving opening and with spaced substantially parallel leg-receiving openings therethrough, a yoke member having spaced legs slidably received in said leg-receiving openings, said legs being formed at their forward ends with an integral cross member, a reversible bit slidably engageable with and disengageable from said bit-receiving opening, said bit being formed with a transverse opening positioned between its ends for pivotal mounting upon said cross member, and groove means provided in the solid end of the handle for receiving portions of said cross member to hold the bit against relative rotation with said handle when the screwdriver is being used.

2. A screwdriver having a hollow handle, said handle being formed with a substantially solid end portion formed with a bit-receiving opening and with spaced substantially parallel leg-receiving openings therethrough, .a yoke member having spaced legs slidably received in said leg-receiving openings, said legs being formed at their forward ends with an integral cross member, a reversible bit slidably engageable with said bit-receiving opening, said bit being formed with a transverse opening positioned between its ends for pivotal mounting upon said cross member, stop means formed at the inner end of one of said legs and engageable with the solid portion of said handle to limit outward movement of said yoke, and groove means provided in the solid end of the handle for receiving portions of said cross member to hold the bit against relative rotation with said handle when the screwdriver is being used.

3. A screwdriver having a hollow handle, said handle being formed with a substantially solid end portion formed with an elongated bit-receiving opening and with spaced substantially parallel leg-receiving openings therethrough, a yoke member having spaced legs slidably received in said leg-receiving openings, said legs being formed at their forward ends with an integral cross member, a reversible bit slidably engageable with and dis engageable from said bit-receiving opening, said bit being formed with a transverse opening positioned between its ends for pivotal mounting upon said cross member, and a diametrically disposed torque-resisting groove formed in the outer solid end portion of said handle and connecting said leg-receiving openings and receiving portions of said cross member to prevent relative rotation between said bit and handle.

4. A screwdriver having a hollow handle, said handle having an end portion provided with an elongated bitreceiving opening and substantailly parallel elongated legreceiving openings therethrough, a yoke member having spaced legs slidably received in said leg-receiving openings, said legs being formed at their forward ends with an integral cross member, a reversible bit slidably engageable with, and disengageable from, said bit-receiving opening, said bit being formed with a transverse opening positioned between its ends for pivotal mounting upon said cross member, the spaced legs in the leg-receiving openings, and the bit in the bit receiving opening cooperating to hold the bit against rotation relative to said handle when the screwdriver is being used.

5. A screwdriver having a hollow handle, said handle having an end portion formed with an elongated bitreceiving opening and with substantially parallel elongated leg-receiving openings theretlirough, a yoke member having spaced legs slidably received in said leg-receiving openings, said legs being formed at their forward ends with an integral cross member, a reversible bit slidably engageable with, and disengageable from, said bit-receiving opening, said bit being formed with a transverse opening positioned between its ends for pivotal mounting upon said cross member, stop means formed at the inner end of one of said legs and engageable with the solid end portion of said handle to limit outward movement of said yoke, said legs being formed with a slight relative twist to provide frictional contact between the legs and the walls of the leg-receiving openings to hold the bit in its bit-receiving opening, and a groove provided in the outer end portion of the handle for receiving portions of said cross member and serving, together with the spaced legs in the leg-receiving openings, and the bit in the bit-receiving opening to hold the bit against relative rotation with said handle when the screwdriver is being used.

6. A screwdriver having a hollow handle, said handle being formed with a substantially solid end portion formed with an elongated bit-receiving opening and with spaced substantially parallel leg-receiving openings therethrough, a yoke member having spaced legs slidably received in said leg-receiving openings, said legs being formed at their forward ends with an integral cross member, a reversible bit slidably engageable with and disengageable from said bit-receiving opening, said bit being formed with a transverse opening positioned between its ends for pivotal mounting upon said cross member, and said legs being formed with a slight relative twist, whereby when in working position the bit will be frictionally held in place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 537,246 Stone Apr. 9, 1895 554,046 Billings Feb. 4, 1896 750,182 Furbish Ian. 19, 1904 1,656,259 Young Jan. 17, 1928 2,662,568 Lavietes Dec. 15, 1953 

